Russian President Vladimir Putin plans to create an international song competition in Russia as a rival to the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC).
Russia was excluded from the much-watched Eurovision contest following its invasion of Ukraine nearly three years ago.
A decree published on Monday calls for an international music competition known as Intervision to be held in Moscow and the Moscow region this year - for "the further development of international cooperation in the field of culture and humanitarianism."
The project is seen as having a high political importance, based on Putin's first appointments, which include Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Chernyshenko to head the organizing committee. The influential deputy head of the presidential administration, Sergei Kiriyenko, will chair the competition's supervisory board.
The ESC has enjoyed great popularity among viewers in Russia. In 2008, Dima Bilan won the contest for the country. In addition, four second and third places have been achieved. The exclusion in 2022, after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, was all the more painful for many Russians.
The Russian Ministry of Culture proposed a competing contest as early as 2023. According to Putin's cultural advisor Mikhail Shvydkoy, around 20 countries are expected to participate in the premiere in autumn 2025.
The competition was also discussed during political talks between Moscow and Beijing. Putin said last year that Russia's "Chinese friends" supported the idea of founding a singing competition under the name Intervision.
So far, Moscow's attempts to respond to international isolation with rival competitions have had only limited success. Putin wanted to hold the World Festival of Friendship in his own country in 2024 in response to Russia's exclusion from the Olympics. These competitions were first postponed by one year - and then indefinitely.
